Grain-harvester.



No. 722,182. PATENTED MAR. 3; 1903.

w. MALONRY R E. BORRAR J. BORR. GRAIN HARVESTER.

APPLIUATION FILED APB.. 15, 1901.

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No. 722,182. r PATRNTRD MAR. s, 1903. W. MALONRY & R. DoRR L J. DORE.

GRAIN HARVESTER. APPLIOATION FILED A PR. 15, 1901.

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No. 722,122. EATENTEE MAR. a, 190s.

W. MALONEY E E. EoRE a; J. DORE.y GRAIN HARVESTER.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 15, 1901. N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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WILLIAM MALONEY, OF SHERBROOKE, AND ELZEAR DORE AND JOSEPH DORE, OF LAPRAIRIE, CANADA; SAID ELZEAR DORE AND JOSEPH DORE ASSIGNORS TO SAID MALONEY, AND SAID MALONEY ASSIGNOR OF SEVEN-TENTHS TO MAXWELL S. INGLIS AND ISAAC PITBLADO, OF WINNIPEG, MANITOBA, CANADA, AND LOUIS T. VATSON, OF

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

GRAIN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,182, dated March 3, 1903.

Original application filed July l0, 1900, Serial No. 23,113. Divided and this application led April 15, 1901. Serial No. 55,834. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom, t may concern/.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM MALONEY, of Sherbrooke, in the county ot Sherbrooke, and ELZEAR DORE and JOSEPH DoR, of Laprairie, in the county of Laprairie, Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Harvesters; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to improvements in grain-harvesters; and the subject-matter of this application is a division of a prior application led July 10, 1900, Serial No. 23,113.

The object of the present invention is to provide means for steering or guiding the machine from the rear thereof. The transverse beam on which the steering devices are mounted forms a part of the machine-frame and is connected with the machine-axle by a longitudinally arranged and jointed tongue and by the employment of side draft-bars. It is important to maintain the rear transverse beam in parallel relation to the machine-axle and also to permit Ysaid beam to have a limited movement in a vertical plane independently ofthe tongue and of said main axle, whereby the transverse rear beam may adjust itself to anyinequalities in the ground `and the tongue will not be injured or broken by torsional strain thereon.

To the accomplishment of these ends the invention consists in the novel combination,con struction,l and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grain-harvester equipped with our improvements, a part of the tongue and one of the side bars being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown by Fig.

1, embodying our improvements. Fig. 3 isa vertical detail section taken longitudinally through a portion of the draft-tongue and the rear transverse beam, the plane of the section being indicated by the dotted line 3 3 on Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is `a sectional plan View with a portion of thereartransverse beam partly broken away to show details of the steering mechanism, the section being taken in the plane of theV dotted line 4 4. on Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the .socketcouplings adapted to be used for the purpose of'uniting the members of a divided machine-tongue.

The same numerals and letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures ofthe drawings.'

The main carrying-axle A of the machine is arranged between the threshing mechanism and the means for steering the entire apparatus from the rear. The main tongue B extends longitudinally of the machine from the axle A to the rear transverse beam C, the latter serving to support certain parts of the steering mechanism. The traction-wheels 20 are journaled loosely on the axle A near the end portions thereof, and said axle remains in a stationary position and is non-revoluble, whereby the tongue B and the transverse beam C always maintain their norlnal relations to the axle. The traction-wheels 20, however, are free to rotate on the axle, so as to furnish a proper means for supporting the weight of the machine when the latter is advanced across the field, -`and said tractionwheels also furnish the motive power for driving the threshing mechanism `and the several other mechanisms'associated'therewith. The front end of the tongue B is united solidly or firmly to the main axle by a casting 2l, which is itted and secured firmly to said tongue. The traction-wheels 20 are quite large in diameter, as shown by the drawings, and they support the weight of the heavy front part of the machine; but the lighter rear part of said machine is borne by the caster or steering wheels 23, the latter being disposed below said transverse beam C.

The threshing mechanism and the other mechanisms intimately associated therewith are disposed at the front end of the machine in advance of the axle A and forward of the traction-wheels 20. The threshing mechanism and its related devices are shown by Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings in this application, because the same is a division of the prior application to which reference has been made; but as the threshing mechanism does not form any part of this application we have not considered it necessary to describe the same.

The beam C at the rear of the machine carries a seat-standard 151, to the upper end of which is secured a seat 152, adapted to be occupied by a steersman. The control of the steering mechanism is obtained through the operation of a vertical steering-spindle 153 in preference .to the use of levers or kindred devices, said spindle being journaled in suitable bearings provided on the beam C. A hand-wheel 154 is made fast to the upper end of the spindle, and agear-wheel 155 is secured to the lower end of said spindle, said gear arranged to have intermeshing engagement with the gear-teeth on the rack-bar 156, the latter being supported in a slidable horizontal position on the under side of the beam C by the guide 157,suitably secured to the beam. This rack-bar is provided at one end with a finger 158, to which is pivoted one end of a link 159, having pivotal connection at its opposite end with a shifting bar 160, the latter being arranged in a horizontal position at the under rear edge of the beam C and held slidably in place by the hanger 161, secured to the beam. (See Fig. 4.) This shifting bar 160 is connected at its opposite ends pivotally to the arms 162 of the wheel-hangers 22, which are furnished with the vertical spindles 163,thelatter being mounted in the beam Cin order to pivotally connect the caster or steering wheels to the machine. The bar 160 may be moved to the right or left by the gear connections with the steering-spindles, and this movement of the bar o-perates to simultaneously turn the arms 162 in corresponding directions in order to simultaneously and correspondingly move the steering-wheels for the proper guidance of the machine.

The machine of our invention is designed to be shoved or propelled across the field in advance of the draft-animals, and in this connection it is to be observed that we only nd it necessary to employ a team of three *draft-animals, or it is possible that the number of animals may be reduced to two. The

draft of the team is exerted directly on the rear transverse beam C, which may be appropriately termed the draft-beam, and the movement of this beam is transmitted to the axle by the employment of the central tongue B and the two draft-bars 164 165, which are disposed on opposite sides of the tongue and which connect the end portions of the draftbeam C with the end portions of the main axle. Each draft-bar is provided at its front end with an end piece 166, that is tted loosely on the axle and is held from displacement therefrom by means of a pin 167. In like manner the rear portion of each draftbar has an end piece 168, which is slotted or perforated for the reception of a stud 169 on the end portion of the transverse draft-beam C. The draft-bars 164 165 may be disengaged from the studs 169, so that they may drop down for the draft-animals to easily pass into the spaces between the central tongue and the side draft-bars; but when the machine is in condition for service the draftbars are connected with the pins 169, so as to assist the tongue in transmitting the strain of the draft-beam to the axle.

The machine of ourinvention is quite long between the axle A and the draft-beam C for the purpose of accommodating the team within the limits of the machine. When the structure is used practically in the field, the draft-beam C, which is sustained by the caster or steering wheels, very rarely occupies exactly the same horizontal position as the threshing mechanism, because of inequalities of the ground, a-nd hence the side draft-bars are of special utility in this long machine, because they keep the draft-beam C from turning in the horizontal plane and out of its proper relation to the main axle, thus minimizing the strain on the central tongue. In view of this play or movement of the draftbeam, which is sustained by the caster or steering wheels adapted to travel over uneven ground, We have found it expedient to divide the draft-tongue B into two sections b b of unequal length and to employ a selfadjusting coupling, which permits the short tongue-section b to have the desired movement with the draft-beam C without practically affecting the long tongue-section b, reference being had more particularly to Figs. 3, 4, and 5. This self-adjusting coupling consists of two members 170 171, each with a socket 172 and with a face-plate 173. The socket or boxing and the face-plate forming each member of the self-adjusting coupling is cast in a single piece of metal, as shown by Fig. 5, and the face-plate is extended or prolonged beyond the outline of the boxing, so as to make its edges form a marginal ange. This projecting portion of the faceplate is provided at the sides of the boxing with the curved slots 174 and above the top and below the bottom of the boxing with the similar slots 175. The member 170 of the ICO IIO

coupling is arranged for its socket or boxing to receive the rear end of the tongue-section b, while the other member 171 of the coupling has its socket or boxing arranged to receive the front end of the short tongue-section b, (see Figs. 3 and l1,) and these coupling members are made fast with the respective tongue-sections by the employment of suitable vertical and horizontal bolts, as shown. The face-plates of the two coupling members are in opposing relation, so that they may turn freely, and these parts are connected loosely together by the bolts 176 177, which pass through the coincident slots in the face-plates of the two members. These bolts do not serve to rigidly couple the members together; but, on the contrary, they permit said members of the coupling and of the sections of the tongue to have a limited turning movement with relation one to the other, the extent of the movement being determined by the length of the slots in the face-plates. It is therefore to be understood that the divided tongue and the self-adj usting coupling permit the rear draft-beam C to have a limited movement in a vertical plane sufficient to accommodate or adjust itself to inequalities in the ground, and the loose connection of the side draft-bars to the studs or pins on the end of the draft-beam permits of this desired limited movement of said beam.

We have devised or equipped the machine with a three-horse equalizer, as shown by Fig. 2.

The draft-lever 178 is fulcrumed on a bolt 179, supported in a strap 180, attached to the draft-beam C at a point to one side of the steering-spindle, the bolt 179 being placed to provide long and short arms on the draftlever 178. The long arm of said lever extends beyond the draft-bar164, so as to carry a singletree 181 outside of the machine; but to the short arm of this draft-lever is connected a doubletree 182 by means ot' the strap 182, the ends of said doubletree being equipped with the singletrees 183, which are disposed between the central tongue and the side draft-bars. (See Fig. 2.) The machine having a draft appliance of this type has one of the team of horses outside of the draftbar 164-, Whilethe two remaining horses Walk in the spaces between the central tongue and the side draft-bars; but it is evident that the draft-lever 178 and the singletree 181 maybe omitted and that the doubletree 182 may be connected by a strap and bolt to the middle portion of thedraft-beam.

Parts of our invention may be employed Without the whole, and changes within the scope of the appended claims may be lnade in the form and proportion of some of the parts, while their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention is embodied. Hence We do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new is- 1. In a harvester and thresher, the combination with a main axle, ot' a draft-beam in rear of said axle a sectional jointed tongue and suitable draft appliances, steering-Wheels shiftably connected to the draft-beam, means for adjusting said wheels to variable inclined and other positions relative to the draft-beam, and connections between the axle and the draft-beam, substantially as described.

2. In a harvester and thresher, 'the combination With an axle, of a draft-beam in rear of the axle, steering-Wheels shiftably connected to the draft-beam, means for shifting said Wheels to different positions relative to the draft-beam, a tongue connecting the beam and axle, and draft-bars disposed on opposite sides of the tongue and connected with end portions of the beam and the axle, substantially as described.

3. In a harvester and thresher, the combination with an axle, of a draft-beam in rear of the axle, a divided and iiexibly-coupled tongue between the axle and the beam, a draft appliance connected to the beam, the draftbars attached to end portions of the axle and having detachable connection with similar portions of the draft-beam, steering-wheels shiftably connected to the draft-beam, and means for shifting said wheels to variable positions relative to the draft-beam, substantially as described.

4. In a harvester and thresher, the combiL nation with a main axle, of a draft-beam, a plurality of intermediate connections embodying a divided and flexibly-connected tongue, swiveled hangers connected to the draft-beam and having bearings for the steering-wheels, a steering-spindle and connections between the steering-spindle and said swiveled hangers and adapted to simultaneously adjust the latter and change the relation of the steering-Wheels to the line of draft, substantially as described.

5. In a harvester and thresher, the combination with a main axle, of a draft-beam sustaining the steering mechanism, a sectional jointed tongue connected With the axle and the beam, and side draft-bars also connected with the axle and the beam, substantially as described.

6. In a harvester and thresher, the combination With an axle and steering devices, of a draft-beam in rear of the axle and carrying the steering devices, a sectional jointed tongue having one section made fast to the draft-beam and its other section secured to the axle, a self-adjusting coupling having members applied to the sections of the tongue and said members connected loosely one with the other, and steering devices disposed on ICO IIO

In Witness whereof We have hereunto set our hands in the presence of Witnesses.

WILLIAM MALONEY. ELZEAR DORE. JOSEPH DOR.

Vitnesses to signature of William Maloney z J. A. MARION, T. MYNARD. Witnesses to signatures of Elzear Dore and Joseph Dor:

G. DUMONTET, JOSEPH RACINE. 

